Question 1

Humidifier recommendation?

Accepted Answer

I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed near the furnace) is no longer working.  I never liked it all that much, anyway, it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc.  So, now I am looking for a new humidifier.  Any recommendations?  Are the "mist spray" type better than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

Question 2

WD40 -  Penetrating oil ?

Accepted Answer

Is WD40 a good penetrating oil to use on a stubborn sheet metal screwthat is located inside an electric walloven ? I am wondering what theodor will be when I eventually light this oven off once again ?  Willthe WD40 eventually evaporate?   I hope that it will before beingheated by the oven. Problem is also that the screw is located at the top inside surface ofthe oven; so, the WD40 is not going to be sucked upward, is it ?I have the whole oven now out of the wall cabinet.  Thinking that Imight be able to rotate the oven 180 degrees vertically, and thensquirt some WD40.The screw is a cross-tip Phillips and somewhat stripped now, and isone of two screws that secure the Broil element to the oven ceiling.UGH !All this effort to remove the broil (top) element in a (1974 era)Whirlpool single oven and I am now at a standstill.de ~ Vince ~:Long Island:.

Question 3

Mini Split opinion

Accepted Answer

I currently have a 3 ton Trane that is on it's last legs. We have 2 mini split systems in this house already, one just for our bedroom and one for an addition. I am seriously thinking about ditching the ducted system and going for a 3 head mini split for the rest of the house. I would really like to get the duct work out of a 140 degree attic. This would also let me zone out the 2 bedrooms we seldom use. This is an open plan with the living room dining area and kitchen all open. My thought was a compact cassette unit there and a wall head in the other 2 bedrooms. The cassette will accommodate a 4" duct for the master bath. That may need to be the 18KBTU model   Am I crazy?

Question 4

Steel windows versus plastic double-glazed

Accepted Answer

Are Crittall's steel-framed windows of yore that much worse forinsulation than cheapo plastic-framed double-glazed units?In terms of heating bills, how long would it take to amortize the cost(ca. £5,000) of replacing steel-framed windows with the uPVC variety?I reckon it would take literally years before one had paid off thecosts through fuel savings.What if the steel-framed windows are furnished with secondarydouble-glazing? Doesn't this make them equal to uPVC?MM

Question 5

Do powerline adapters work during a power cut?

Accepted Answer

My electricity is being switched off next Thursday for 8 hours. I can't think of any reason why my powerline adapters shouldn't continue to work, but will they? I've got some battery-powered Raspberry Pis in a part of the house where the WiFi doesn't work.Another Dave

Question 6

OT Drywall hanging

Accepted Answer

I plan to finish our garage as a garage/work shop.  The walls are about 10 feet high.Part of the garage is already dry walled, and the drywall is installed with long side horizontally. From a handling point of view, it seems that it would be easier to install it with the long side vertical.Does it make a difference horizontal or vertical?It seems it would be easier lifting the panels into place with the long side vertical, as they could be set and pushed up to the wall.  With the long side horizontal the 2nd row piece would have to be lifted to the top of the firs row and pushed into place.

Question 7

Drywall Repair

Accepted Answer

Hello All,We had a leak that turned into a small flood. They took out 2 feet of dry wall along floor so they could dry the studs. Fast forward, we are finally getting to the rebuild and they installed drywall today. Our walls are the usual 1/2 thickness but they installed 3/8 thick dry wall. I guess my question is, is this normal to do and will they just transition it with taping and mud? We have a very thin layer of texture on the wall, I believe it’s spray on texture but don’t think enough to cover the difference.

Question 8

Seller Turning Possession Over After Closing?

Accepted Answer

I am the potential buyer of a home. The seller does not want to turn over possession until a few days after closing. I do not like the legal risks of this. For example, the seller could damage something over the weekend or an accident could occur in the house. I want some protection. I see one site that says to ask the seller to provide a check for a few thousand dollars. This will serve as "possession escrow." What do you all think?

Question 9

Winterize home near the Deleware Water Gap

Accepted Answer

Need to help someone "winterize" a rental that they inheretided suddenlyand which won't be worked on until spring. How do you winterize anyway?Two bathrooms. No pool. One well. Cesspool. Deleware Water Gap.No sprinklers. No garden hoses that I can see still outside.Do I just shut off the electricity to the well pump and open the lowest tapon the outside of the house? Do I leave them open or shut afterward?Or do I pour automotive antifreeze in the sinks and toilets and showers? I can only help this weekend.What's normal for that latitude?

Question 10

Paint in the can life span?

Accepted Answer

Hi All,I have some paint in the can, never opened.  Howmany years is it good for?  I believe it is sevenyears old.Many thanks,-T

Question 11

Metal cutting saw

Accepted Answer

I have a junior hacksaw, the bent metal rod kind, which I use for randommetal cutting jobs - steel bolts, bits of copper pipe, etc.  It's not verygood at it.I thought it was the blades so I replaced with some Bahco, which I thoughtwas a better brand.  They are slightly better, but they blunt very fast -I'm changing the blade for every bit of 15mm pipe, for example.  Evensomething like that is somewhat hard going.  It probably doesn't help thatit seems like the blade is not under much tension so it wobbles and comesout easily.What would be a better sort of hand saw for metal cutting?  I have variouspower saws but I don't want the faff of jigging something up just to cut abolt.  Ideally something small so I can work in confined spaces when cuttingpipe etc in situ.Or do I just need a better hacksaw, and if so any recommendations?ThanksTheo

Question 12

Descaling - Citric acid v White vinegar

Accepted Answer

A couple of appliances state to descale with white vinegar.Tried to google for sensible answers but nothing very clear.Why white vinegar instead of citric acid?Why white vinegar instead of any vinegar?  There's a YouTube videoshowing descaling a coffee machine test using Apple Cider vinegar -would that be sensible?

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